Machine for treating cloth.



I. BARNETT.

MACHINE FOR TREATING CLOTH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.-1B, 1910.

1,1 1 3, 532. Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

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IHE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHDTO LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. c

I. BARNETT.

MACHINE FOR TREATING CLOTH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1910.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

2 SHBETS8HEBT 2.

ME@E@ n THE NORRIS PETERS C0. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON D c ISRAEL BARNETT, OF MILWAUKE E, WISCONSIN.

MACHINE FOR TREATING- CLOTH.

Original application filed October 5,1910, Serial no. 585,564.

Specification of Letters Patent.

18,1910. SeriallNo.593,Q22.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I ISRAEL BARNETT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of WVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Treating Cloth, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a machine for separating animal fibers from Vegetable fibers. v V 1 This application is a division of my prior application, Serial No. 585,504., filed October 5, 1910, in which I have described {and claimed an improved process of separating animal fiber from vegetable fiber.

As I have indicated in my -process application, fabrics containing animal fiber and vegetable fiber find extensive use in the arts;

These fabrics consist of wool, horse-hair or similar wiry fibers interwovenxwith suitable vegetable fibers such, for example, as cotton. It is well known that although the vegetable fiber used is comparatively cheap, these fabrics are expensive on account of the cost of the animal fiber. It is also Well known that in the use of these fabrics when applied in the arts, a certain amount of this valuable material assumes the fo-rmof scraps when the material is out. able on account of the amount of expensive animal fiber which they contain. In order to reclaim this valuable animal fiber, it is first necessary to break down .or carbonize the vegetable material which is interwoven with it. by subjecting thescraps to the action of an acid such as hydrochloricor sulfuric, which eats out or carbonizes the fibrous structure of the vegetable fiber.

screens in order to separate the vegetable material from the animal fiber. v chines are impracticable when applied to the separation of'treated scraps containing hair since it is found that they are inefiicient and result in such unsatisfactory treatment, separating only a portion of the hair since some of it passes through the screens, and mutila- These scraps are valuchine may assume in practice.

This is preferably accomplished The views are as follower-Figure 1 a H view of the same. Machines have been de-" showing a preferred construction ofone of veloped by which, after such a treatment," fabrics containing wool' may be separated without serious difficulty. These machinessubject the scrap material to a beating on shaking process and a passage through,

These ma Patented Oct. 13, 1914. ivided and this application filed November,

tion of. the hair due to thebeating action,

as to materiallydecrease its market value when-obtained, so that in effect a large proportion of. the valuable material in these scrapshas been thrown away, or the valu able hair contained inthem has been practically ruined. Thebbject of my invention is to provide an improved machine for separating animal fibers from vegetable fibers.

A further object of my invention is to separate all of the animal fibers from any with it.

provide a machine which will effectually,

provide a. machine whichwill effectually, separate animal fibers from vegetablefibers I fibers. 1 A further object of my invention is to provide a machine which will be economical without decreasing. the value of the animal and rapidin operation and at the same time, effectually separate the animal fibers from,

so A further object of my invention is t-o i i the vegetable fibers" associated therewith.

, provide an improvedmachine which is particularlyadapted for the separation of such. 1; animal fibers as'horse 1121.1?01 similar wiry fibers,- so that thevaluable animalfiber con- I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings one form which my improved maside". elevation of my improved machine.

Fig. 2 shows a transverse partially sectional Fig. 3; is a detailed view my improved rolls.

The machine which I have chosen to.

driven from a power. shaftn l at unequal speeds ashereinafter described. .These rolls exert'a rubbingor brushing action upon the treated material from which the animal fiber is to be separated. This-material is tained in scraps of hair cloth or like mate vertical alinement, each pair. consisting of oppositely rotating-adjacent rolls 2 and 3 i a directed between the rolls by the shield 0 5, or by any other suitable means, and is pulverized by the rubbing or brushing ac- I tion. In this pulverized state it is drawn off by the lowpressure exhaust 6 as it Ypasses between the successive rolls. In

order to provide an eflicient rubbing sur- 1 face for the rolls, I preferably slightly roughen their surfaces or construct them of felt, cloth or other disks 7, clamped together at the ends of the rolls as at 8. See Fig. 3. It is evident however, that the rubbing action itself is not due entirely to. the surface of the rolls, but is produced both by the difierent speeds and the different directions =of rotat=ion of the rolls. In order to separate the materials more effectually as they are fed to the rolls, I provide a top pair 9 with a nap or brush-like surface. This surface may be secured by the use of wire cloth or other suitable means.

The set of high "speed rolls 2 may be rotated in a clock-wise direction at a speed of approximately thirty-five (35) revolutions-per minuteif desired. They are pro- 'vided with any suitable transmission gears such as for instance, the sprocket 10, the 1 chain 11 and a sprocket 12, suitably fixed to apower shaft 13. This power shaft 13' extends'acjross the top of the machine parallel with the rolls and is supported on the frame 1 in suitable bearings 1 1. At one end of this shaft is attached a bevel gear 15. Ihis gear 15 meshes withfa gear 16 on a shaft -17 extending in a vertical direction along "the entire height of the machine at one side thereof and suitably mounted in bearing blocks '18 near the bottom and top of the frame 1. Carried so "as to rotate with this shaft 17, are bevel gears 19 located at suitable distances apart along the shaft 17. These "bevel gears 19 are adapted to mesh with gears 20 carried by the shaft 21 of eachff'oll in the set of rolls 2. 1 It is thus evident that by the arrangement of these gears the rolls 2 are rotated, but in a direction whichhas been reversed from'tha'tobtained by a direct connection to the shaft.

' It is however ofcourse possible, if desirable, to-u se afdriwe for these rolls which is *rotated'ina direction opposite to that of the shaft 4 and thus avoid the use of this intermediate gearing. I

The set of low speed rolls 3 may be rotated inx the same direction as the power shaft 1, that is, in a count-er-clock-wise diten ('10) revolutions per minute if desired.

Motion fis conveyed to them through a transmission gear comprising a sprocket 22, a chain 23 anda sprocket 24- carried on the shaft 25 of the upper set of low speed rolls .8. This shaft 25' is supported by and horizontally adjustable (resiliently, ifdesired) insuitable bearings 26 in the frame 1, so that the rubbing action of the rolls may be rection and at a speed of approximately varied. In its mounting, the shaft is exactly similar to all of the other rolls of the low speed set. 3. However, near the end of this shaft 25 and between the sprocket 24 and one of the bearings 26, it carries a smaller sprocket 27 which rotates with it and is adapted to transmit the rotation applied to it through a chain 28, to a similarly located sprocket 29 on the next roll. This roll carries a sprocket 8O rotating with the sprocket 29, and through similar means the rotation is transmitted to all of the other rolls in the set 3. In this connection, it is obvious, however, that instead of using a sprocket drive to rotate the rolls, I may use, under certain circumstances, any other suitable drive giving the desired flexibility.

Suitably supported on the upper portion of the frame 1 and by the power shaft 13, is the shield 5 which as shown, may extend transversely across the frame parallel with the sets of rolls 2 and 3, so that material fed into it is directed between the rolls.

Suit-ably supported above this shield or '2 and incloses a portion thereof. It is so constructed that the draft apertures 84 occur opposite the spaces between the difiercnt rolls in the sets. As the treated vegetable material is ground or pulverized in its passage between the rolls, it is removed while passing between successive rolls by suitable means such as a low pressure exhaust 6 which draws off this pulverized material through a contracted portion at the bottom of the dust collector. Adjacent this exhaust and beneath the rolls, any suitable means may be provided to receive the separated animal fiberwhich has passed through the rolls. have illustrated this means as consisting of a screen 36, but it is obvious that any other collecting means may be employed if desired.

Suitably mounted on the frame 1 and extending along and over the gears and the sprockets on each side thereof, may be gear casings 35, which serve to prevent any accidental contact with the moving parts, but at the same time, are capable of rendering them readily accessible if desired.

From the foregoing, the operation of my machine may be readily understood. The fibrous material is first subjected to any desired treatment to reduce or break down the fibrous structure of the vegetable material.

Then the treated fibrous material is fed; to the traveling apron 32 which carries' it to the hopper, the material being suitably dried in passage as by passing it through a heating or drying chamber. From the hopper, the fibrous material, still maintaining its original form, although the fibrous structure of the vegetable material is brokenterial without tearing or injuring the animal fiber. At the same time, the reduced'fiber is pulverized until it takes the form of a dust which, being light, is readily sucked away by the exhaust as the mass passes between successive rolls. Thus it is seen that the heavier material, the animal fiber, which has not been affected by the treatment to break down the fibrous structure of the vegetable material, is effectually separated as it passes; through the rolls and may be collected in any suitable receptacle beneath the same.

By the use of my improved machine I am able to reclaim all of the animal fiber from the adhering vegetable fiber, due tothe effective rubbing action of the rolls and the fact that no screens are employed through which the separated animal fiber may fall: and again become mixed with the vegetable.

material. Further, by the use of the rub bing and brushing rolls and the low pres sure exhaust, I am able to effectively pulverize all of the adhering vegetable material and remove the same so that the hair or other animal fiber obtained by the use of my machine is very clean. Again, by the use of the rubbing rolls, I am able to obtain a product in which the fibers are not broken or otherwise mutilated as they are by machines in which heaters are employed. Further, by the use of my improved machine I am able to effectively and economically separate the hair or other wiry fibers from the vegetable material associated therewith and to reclaim the valuable fibers contained in scraps of this character which have heretofore been obliged to be wasted on account of the difliculty experienced in attempting to separate the fibers. that my improved machine will operate readily upon any material wherein one or more of the constituent parts of the same has been reduced. by any process.

In describing the embodiment of my invention illustrated in this application, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction herein shown, but that I consider this construction as but illustrative of It is of course obvious my invention and have in contemplation all modifications or adaptations of thismachine which would operate upon itsprinciples and be'included within the scope of the appended claims. i 1.

Y \Vhat Iclaim asmy invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is i 1. .A machine for'separating animal fiber from non-fibrous material, comprising a series of rolls, an opposite series of rolls in frictional relation thereto, said rolls being adapted to disintegrate the mass,omeans for rotating said rollscat different speeds, and in opposite directions, means for feeding the unseparated material to said rolls and means for removing the non-fibrous material as it passes between the rolls.

2. In a machine for separating animal from vegetablefibers,a plurality ofrubbing rolls for disintegrating the materials having frictionally engaging roughened surfaces.

3. In a machine for separating animal from vegetable. fiber, a plurality of oppositely. rotating: rolls. in frictional engage-v ment with each other, one of said rolls being formed ofa plurality of felt disks.

4C. In a machine for separating animal from vegetable fiber, a plurality of oppositely rotating rolls having frictional engaging surfaces, said rolls beingarranged to rotate at different speeds to exert a rubbing and brushing disintegrating action upon the material to be separated.-

5. In a machine for separating animal fiber from vegetable fiber after the latter has been reduced, the oombmatlonof a plurality of sets of oppositely rotating rolls arranged one above the other for exerting a rubbing and brushing action upon the materials to pulverize the reduced vegetable ma terial. H

6. A machine for separating animal and vegetable fiber after the vegetable fiber has been reduced including a plurality of oppositely rotating rolls rotatable at different speeds and having their adjacent surfaces roughened and in frictional engagement to exert a rubbing and brushing action upon said materials to vegetable fiber.

7. A machine for separating animal and vegetable fiber after the latter has been reduced including a plurality of rolls rotating invopposite directions and at different speeds, said rolls having their surfaces roughened and in frictional contactto exert a rubbing and brushing action upon said materials to pulverize said reduced vegetable material and means for removing one of said materials.

8. In combination, a frame, a plurality of sets of oppositely rotating rubbing rolls carried one above the other in said frame, said rolls being provided with frictionally enpulverize said. reduced gaging surfaces, means for rotating said rolls in opposite directions and at different speeds, means including a traveling apron for feeding a materialtothe upper end ofsaid rolls, and means for removing a por tion of saidmaterial as'the other portion thereof is. feeding successively between said rolls. v

9.- In a machine for separating anlmal and vegetable fibersafter the latter has been reduced, a frame, a plurality of rubbing and brushing rolls mounted therein one above the other, means for feeding the animal and vegetable; fibers to said rolls, means for: actuating said rolls to exert a rubbing and brushing action upon said fibers, and means.

for removing one of said fiber-s. as the other is fed successively between said setsof rolls.

10. in a machine for separating animal and vegetable fibers after the latterhas been reduced, a frame, a plurality of rubbing and brushing rolls mounted therein one above the other, means for rotating said sets of rolls in opposite directions and at different speeds, means for feeding the mixed fibers to the 'upper end of said sets ofrolls, means for receiving one of said fibers at the lower end of said sets of rolls and means for. re-

moving one of said fibers as the other is.

passed between successive sets of said rubbinge and brushmg rolls.

11 .111 a machine for separating animal from'vegetable fiber, a frame, a plurality of rubbing and brushing rolls carried therein, said rolls having felt surfaces in frictional engagement with each other, and one of said rolls being yieldably mounted, means for rotating said rolls in opposite directions and at different speeds, means for feeding the -mixed' fibers to said rolls, means for receiving one of said fibers after it has been fed between; the rolls and means for removing one of said fibers as the other is passed between said rolls.

12111 a machine for treating cloth of mixed animal and vegetable fibers tosepara-tethe cloth into its component elements, a plurality of rubbing rolls in frictional engagement, means for feeding the cloth be tween said rolls, means for rotating the rolls on one side of said cloth in a uniform direction, and means for rotating the rolls on the other side of said cloth in the opposite direc tion and at a different rate of speed from said first rolls, whereby one ofthe components of said cloth may be pulverized.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses. I

ISRAEL BARNETT.

Witnesses:

HARRY NATHAN, (In \S. Lrrow.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents eaeh, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, I Washington, 12.0. 

